'How Do You Fund a War, But Not the Casualties?’

What I can't figure out is this....if Democrats really want to comment on the perversity of the President's commitment to the killing, but not the aftermath, why do they not speak about this? The soundbytes might then make their way to the news and force the GOP's hand in addressing the issue. If the roles were reverse, and if this had happened on Clinton's watch, it would be a regular drumbeat in the press.

Yet another reason for me to be disappointed by the Democratic leadership.

Or is that an oxymoron?

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HELP US
TO HELP OUR VETERANS

A lot of veterans needs are not being met. So now
it???s our time to come together as one united front to
help them and their families get the help they need.
Many veterans are homeless, hungry and want a hand
up, not a hand out. These men and women served our
country proudly. That is why we are embarking on this
event VET AID 2008 so we can serve the needs of all
our veterans. To show them thank you other than, a
salute or a warm hug. That being said please would
you or your group join us in this plight for the
American Veterans.
Their situation has been reported on CNN News,
USA Today, ABC News, and others have reported on
the situations of our veterans.

Please Contact Us At ( 330 ) 898-2453 or (330) 369-
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Web Site..... www.vetaid.info
Thank You,
Michael Primmer
Paladin Knights Corp Liaison

Like everything else this administration does, is a rush job. They are now demanding a new two tier Veterans compensation system where the "new terror war veterans" get treated better than disabled veteras of the past wars, why? It costs all of us the same to live, it is not cheaper for those of us who have been disabled for years, we have just had to adapt to living on less, but if benefits are to be improved, they should be improved for all, nit just a chosen few of Mr Bush's wars. The Veterans Disability Benefits Commission a 2 1/2 year study led by LTG Terry Scott has recommended many of the same suggestions of the Dole/Shalala commission but treats all veterans of all the wars the same and is a far better balanced piece of work, I feel Congress should take it's time and fix the Dept of Veteran Affairs right, once and for all not, quickly and haphazardly like everything else related to Mr Bush's wars, the NSA wiretaps, FISA, Medicare Part D, Katrina cleanup and rebuilding etc, their total Keystone Cope routine needs to end, especially when it comes to comepnsation and treating this nations veterans. Mike Bailey a disabled South Carolina Vteerans Army, Vietnam and Desert Storm

I have faxed and emailed Sen Casey, Specter and Congressman Cagney about forcing Iraq to hold a referendum asking the Iraqi people if they want us there to see them through to a form of democracy.
I have written Bush, those who hate bush. Those who are public about cutting funding. Only Congressman Cagney has responded saying that we can't interfere with the Iraqi government!!! I think he's nuts but at least he answered. Only Geraldo Rivera has mentioned this concept on TV and said it once.
At this point, we should not ask any US Soldier to lay down his life for Iraq unless we can see that 50+% OF THE VOTERS WANT US THERE. THIS IS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE. BUT NO ONE IN POWER, NO PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE WILL TALK ABOUT THIS OR A DOZEN OTHER ISSUES WHICH MIGHT MAKE SENSE. THEY HAVE US CHASING OUR TAILS. JUST LOOK AT THE IRS NOT GOING AFTER JUDGE JOHN MOTT AND HIS WIFE BRENDA AFTER THEY DID NOT REPORT 500-600 THOUSAND DOLLARS OF INCOME OVER 5-6 YEARS SHE DID FEW MONTHS.. APPARENTLY THE GOV ONLY WANTS TAXES , FINES, PENALTIES AND INTEREST ON MONEY MADE HONESTLY.
SICK, JOE DUPONT TOWANDA, PA

As a Vietnam Veteran, I can attest to the sad state of the VA, I do however commend the Nurses that have taken care of us Vets and who will continue to do so regardless of the Funding Deficits. The VA is full of those that like any other Bureaucrat DON'T CARE. Teddy Roosevelt said in the early 1900's and I quote,
"Behing the ostensible government sits enthroned a government acknowledging no allegiance and owing no responsibility to people" To think that we can continue to allow those working in the VA to show diswregard and disrespect to all WHO HAVE SERVED is insane. The Congress and the President all share the responsibility. Those like Sen. Edward Kennedy and Sen. Harry Reid and Rep Murtha have all done disgraceful by those of that have served. I believe whether they believe in the War or have never believed in the War is irrelavent, they committed us to those Wars and theyt owe it to us to furnish care in the best way possible. There is too much focus by Congress in trying to disgrace the Executive Branch and too little focus on HELPING THE VET. The responsibility belongs to us the people to tell Congress enough petty bickering, get with it or concede your office. Let's stop the finger pointing and get with it, support those that served on your behalf. The greatest fighting force on the Planet is being defeated daily by those that have sent us to War. It's disgreceful and should cease.......SUPPORT YOUR FIGHTING MEN, DURING THE FIGHT AND NEXT IN THE BIGGEST FIGHT OF THEIR LIVES......

As a nurse and a pacifist I am always apalled by the lack of committed resources for veterans. Although I do not support war in a world capable of diplomacy, I certainly support a need for appropriate healthcare for military men and women. How can you ask people to sacrifice their mental and physical health and not adequately provide for their suffering? It is one thing to ignore the needs of those who can't help you politically, but it is morally repugnant not to take care of those who are willing to die for your cause. This issue, more than any other, reinforces my contempt for this administration and their BLATANT hypocritical agenda.

As a pacifist and a nurse, I find the lack of resources commited to veterens goes beyond appaling. I may not support war in a world capable of diplomacy, but I certainly support the need for appropriate healthcare for military men and women. How can you ask people to sacrifice their mental and physical wellbeing and not adequately provide for them upon returning? This notion disgusts me and makes me even more passionately against this administration. It's one thing to ignore the problems of those who don't support you politically but it is insulting and morally repugnant not to take care of those who believe in your cause!

The federal goverment has always been short on suppling the vet with the means of recovery. Not only do the vets suffer but there families suffer more. For it takes generations for the families of vets to recover and prosper in this land.The goverment should not only take care of the vet but there families as well.The dependents of disable vets should not suffer but recieve the highest quality of support, Health Care,and EDUCATION. The vet has earned this right by his sacarfices.By granting this gift of a greatful nation the vet would not have to worry about the needs of his family and could focus on recovery. The hardest thing for a vet to do is to wacth his family suffer while he is trying to recover. He has given his time, his engery, and the life that he once had for this country and what does he get in return. MISERY. Think and reflect and listen to your heart if enough people write there congressmen and request that the veterans be given a new bill of rights that truely reflect a greatful nation then the nation will reap the benefits and the misery will subside.
Richard Simmons DAV

Put them down

When the warriors aren't being taken care of, it's time to outsource the war to mercenaries that don't need benefits. Can we afford to pay them?

Tough luck, suckers.

To top all this off Line of duty investigations that have to be done to pay out benefits to widows and children are now being done by the VA. So when someone is killed thier family has to wait 3 to 6 months for the VA to process the LOD investigation. Imagine that. Your spouse, son, daughter is killed and then you sit for months without thier life insurance or income while the VA tries to not pay out because thats thier real job.

There is more than bodily and mental casualties involved in the United States Government's mistreatment of those that it sent to do its dirty work. There is trust that is lost by its citizens also. The lost of that trust can destroy an industry as it did the American automobile industry because of its abuses during the 1950's. The mistreatment of the men who went to Vietnam and to the later wars has gained the United States Government the mistrust of the citizens that were willing to befriend its needs and wishes and also those who have only their personal gains at heart. A person who expresses trust in the U.S. Government today is a rare accident. In the 1950's nobody stated that they distrusted the Government because we knew that Ike was loyal to us and so we believed in the leadership. Tell us how many people have you met lately who expresses any kind of trust in the Government now. Businesses and government survive only as long as they have the trust of their customers and citizens, and the U.S. Government has achieved ultimate distrust of it.

There's more types of casualties than the bodily and mental types of casualties. A nation can never regain the repect of its citizens when it becomes known that it has turned its back on those that it demanded that they do its dirty work. The United States Government has lost enormous amounts of trust by its policies towards the veterans of Vietnam and the following wars. That kind of lost of trust can explain the decline of the American automobile industry because of its abuses during the 1950's. And the same goes for a nation who knifes its best friends in the back. Governments and businesses in the end survive or fail based upon the trust it generates among its citizens and its customers. The United States Government has done a tremendous job of destroying that trust.

Why not use the funds for the uplift of your own people?

How do you fund a war and not the casualties is a question that should be asked of the new recruits being solicited to join the services. There should be a requirement for the Armed Forces to advise all military personnel the discusting lack of funding relating to health care for veterans with a military related disability. I know because I???m one of the victims suffering from severe Tinnitus (Ringing in the ears). This screaming noise comes seemingly from an outside source which in my case seems about a foot outside each ear which sounds like a high pitched buzzing. A further agitation is the fact that each side in of a different frequency. I received no treatment, no examination, no conciliation and no care of any kind. This problem occurred on an US Air Force Base at 2:00AM in the morning. Without prior notice I was placed near a Air Defense Aircraft hanger as an armed guard for an eight hour period during a night of fair weather. During the shift a maintenance crew towed a F-104 Starfighter, the latest in the USAF aircraft arsenal at the time into a position established for testing the engines. Berm of earth covered with steel was located behind the tail which deflected the tremendous force of wind upward protecting personnel behind the aircraft. Unfortunately, however, the noise created traveled in all directions including my location at the time which was approximately a hundred feet. I had no idea what was going to take place. The airplane was anchored to the concrete ramp and the engine run ups begin lasting about a half hour. At first it was simple engines rev ups and idols. I was completely surprised that all of a sudden they added what I assume to be maximum power producing a punishing noise louder than anything I had ever heard before. A vibration was causing my body what I can only describe as severe vibrations causing my head and bones pain. I kept my ears covered with both hands but found little comfort otherwise. It was at this time the crew kicked in the aircraft???s afterburners which took only a few seconds for my body to completely collapse to my knees where I placed my head on the ground. My entire body was in pain and my ears was the least of my concerns at the time.

The aircraft was shut down and returned to its hanger and I returned to my guard duty pleased that my body stopped paining for the most part. This again took place in very early morning when its normally at its quietest and now the only thing I could hear was the remaining ringing noise I still endure. When I was picked up and returned to operations and the shift???s desk sergeant, I registered this incidence as well as my pain received which received laughter from the desk sergeant and several men standing nearby. During my discharge from service I received a medical examination reflecting a high loss of hearing in both ears. I suffered with these conditions from 1959 through 2003 at which time I learned of the Veteran???s Administration and the fact I may b

How long will the American People allow this National Nightmare to continue? Everything this Administration touches turns to dust. We send our fellow Countrymen off to fight a war in our name and our national leadership has underplanned, under budgeted and under resourced the whole effort. I guess they thought this would be a "Weekend at Sadaam's". When you send a solider into combat you Mr. Commander-In-Chief you have an obligation to take care of the solider. That returning warrior deserves the best health care this country can provide and provide it in a manner that shows your deepest gratitude for his service and sacrfice. Don't pay Lip service. This is another example of this administration's incompetence and inability to do Government. While Mr. Bush awaits historys verdict. Just remind him he is no Truman. He has managed his presidency with the same lack of skill he exemplified in every enterprise he has ever run.

Let's keep in mind that the current administration may not be right, but they are certain of their spin. This has been eight years of darkness. We have a war effort, where the American people are encouraged to continue shopping, while the same 140,000 undermaned, underequiped patriots are sent to grind it out in the black holes of Iraq and Afghanistan. How did we allow this to happen?

SORRY IT KEPT TELLING TO TO TRY AGAIN LATER